2017 Land Rover Discovery Review: First Impressions
CARS.COM — One of the most impressive vehicles at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show is the 2017 Land Rover Discovery, which combines technology and off-road capability. This is the larger “parent” version of the Discovery Sport which debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show two years ago.
The Discovery takes the place of the outgoing LR4, replacing the ruggedly styled SUV with a more curved, modern look that matches the smaller Discovery Sport and, tangentially, the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque as well. But don’t be fooled by its appearance; Land Rover says that the Discovery will still retain the LR4’s capability. The Discovery has more ground clearance (11 inches to 7.3 inches) and a deeper wading depth (35 inches to 28 inches) than the LR4, and shares a wheelbase with the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, two SUVs capable of more than their sleek body lines suggest. It also incorporates the aluminum frame construction from the Range Rover, making the Discovery 1,000 pounds lighter than the LR4, which has fuel economy benefits as well.
Under the hood, there are two engine options: a 340-horsepower, supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 that makes 332 pounds-feet of torque or a 254-hp, turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 diesel that makes 443 pounds-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard, while two four-wheel-drive systems are optional. Land Rover says that the supercharged versions of the Discovery will beat the outgoing LR4 by 14 percent on city fuel economy.
The Discovery’s interior is what really impressed me, with its great seating versatility and host of family-friendly features. The Discovery seats seven and Land Rover says there will be room for seven realistically proportioned adults, an assertion that we always take with a boulder-sized grain of salt.
However, in this case, my skepticism was unwarranted. The third row proved to have ample legroom and, more importantly, headroom even for someone of my 5-foot-11 stature. The roof has a subtle step that raises it as it moves back and provides more headroom for third-row passengers, while also giving them a clear line of sight looking forward (another important but often overlooked detail). The rear sunroof is pushed way back and allows ample light back there as well; it was one of the most pleasant third-row SUV seats I’ve experienced. The third-row seats also have lower Latch anchors for a child-safety seat, something not commonly found on three-row SUVs. Third-row legroom and access are both aided by power sliding second-row seats that are powered to fold flat. Third-row passengers get more love in the Discovery than in a lot of other SUVs.
Land Rover also has an app (available on both Android and iOS) through which you can also raise or lower the seats. The Discovery is smart enough to know when the other rows of seats would get in the way of seat folding operations and will move them accordingly. The second- and third-row seats also can be folded via a panel in the rear cargo area or with the center console’s touchscreen.
From the cargo-area panel, you can lower or raise the Discovery using the air suspension and lower the power inner tailgate. The tailgate was a feature enjoyed in the LR4: You could drop the tailgate and sit on it like you would on a pickup truck. The Discovery’s shelf looks pretty thin, but it’s actually rated to hold 661 pounds and feels quite sturdy.
The Discovery’s cabin can be crammed with screens and technology, including an available second-row entertainment system, and it can be outfitted with up to nine USB ports, which is enough for every passenger to charge a device even if every seat is filled.
I was impressed by the attention to detail found in the Discovery’s cabin, and if the driving experience on- and off-road matches its pedigree, Land Rover will have a big winner on its hands. The 2017 Land Rover Discovery will go on sale in mid-2017.
